New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-30
oABE OF TIE OFT rs INSANE.
AN INQUIRY BY STATE COMMISSIONERS.
TESTIMONY OF DIR. MACDONALD AND THE LOCAL
OFRICIAJa

TESTIMONY OF DIR. MACDONALD AND THE LOCAL
OFFICIALS.
General John J. Mhau Of this city and Oscar Craig
OF Rochester, Commissioners Of the State Board Of
Charities and membersof the Committee the Care Of
the insane began yesterday investigation into the
conduct of the institutions for the insane under the
charge Of the Commissioners of Charities and Correction
here The Mayor has received several letters containing
complaints against the management Of the institutions.
and there have been articles in two newspapers
similar in tone Mayor Hewitt therefore asked that the
investigation be made Assistant Corporation Counsel
Francis L. welman conducted the examination Of wit
nesses.
President Simmons Of the Department Of Charities and
Correction testified in general as to the poor and
Insane under the charge Of his department officials and
employees. Physicians and attendants, he said, wee
provided for all Each attendant whose salary more
than 80 year subject to Civil Service examina
ton. This he asserted prevented the commission from
obtaining good attendants The salary was too small,
and the accommodations inadequate. The medical
department inquired into the character Of the aten-
dants.
Commissioners Brennan and Porter corroborated
much that was said by President Simmons, and added
that the Department did as well as it could with the
appropriations made by the Board Of Estimate The
institutions were overcrowded and would remain 90
until the appropriations increased.
Commissioners Brennan said that 1t would be o God
idea to have classes at the training school at B. yus
that all the old attendants were good men, but there
had good food, but there not much variety II the
farm ON Long Island were ready, that would relieve
Commissioners Craig asked Mr. Brennan what his esti-
mate was for building that would accommodate 600
than Wards Islandi Could modern methods OF
be obtained on the farm than Wards Islandl
Mr. Brennan said that he would make written replies to
DR.. 4 T. Macdonald. general medical superintendent
OF the insane under the charge OF the Commits
sloners Of Charities and Correction. testified that
December 81 last, there were 4,57s patients In the
1,720. There should be an attendant for every ten
patients. There were at present l62 attendants The
the discipline and care Of the patients 1t also
prevented getting good class of attendants The Civil
Service rules prevented the medical superintendent
from making his selections. The attendants
taken from lists furnished by the Civil Service examiners
and sixteen The strait and
other appliances OF this kind had not been used for more
quiet patients was absolutely forbidden. Should o
patient become suddenly violent the assistant was
depended on to keep him quiet until the arrival of a
physician. The farm would be great advantage.
Patients could be employed and the work and scenery
would tend to relieve their minds of deusons. and
bodily strength would be built up. DIR. Macdonald had
no knowledge Of gotcal influence being used to secure
physicians from $500 to $3.50 Other asylum officials
came and took away their best ply sicians by paying
Dr. Macdonald referred at length to the cases Of
Parrish Hefarth Healy and stearns, which have been
spoken Of He Investigated all the and handed in
his report TO the commissioners In where there
was doubt he gave attendant the benefit Of it. 1t
would be establishing bad precedent to take the I'M
corrOborated word Of patient. II he found that q
keeper was abusing patient he would discharge
him In the matter Of dsmssals he assumed all the re-
sponsibility lie denied that patients were
bathed the same water. He thought IL would cost
about $4,000 to provide proper accommodations for
600 patients the FARM In time the farm products
would Offset the expense.
Dr. Alexander Trautman medical superintendent OF
Wards Island corroborated the testimony OF Dr. Mac
donald
The Investigation will be continued to-day.